WHY OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IS FAILING STUDENTS AND WHAT CAN BE DONE TO FIX IT

At some point we all need to understand that there is a problem with the educational system in this country, if for nothing else to provide a better future for our children and grandchildren. This isn't a blog supporting privatization of our education system, all though it might be a good idea. We should really be looking at what students are being taught and more importantly what they are not being taught.

Our current system may do a good job at teaching the basics, reading, writing, and arithmetic, but it is failing to give students the competitive edge they need to land that great job when they graduate. I would like to make a few suggestions that would vastly improve our current system and help ensure a brighter future for young people.

1) Start asking students what they would like to do for a living at an early age. Yes, it might change as they get older and experience new things, but it would give educators some idea of what skills will be important to this young person's future.

2) Provide testing that shows what areas students have an interest in, are disinterested in, are strong in, and are weak in. Follow this up with career counseling not at the college level, but at the high school and junior high school level.

3) Provide students with courses that will advance their career goals at a younger age, again starting at the high school and junior high level instead of late in high school and in college. Offer courses such as computer programming, electronics, fashion design, journalism, etc, etc, along with their basic courses. Not only will it give them an edge in the job market, it will also make school more interesting for them and make them want to go and do well.

4) Provide students with courses in writing resumes, and job interviewing to provide them with the necessary skills to land that first job in their field of study.

5) Allow students to build a portfolio of work in their field of interest, by doing this we give them something other than a piece of paper at graduation, we give them something that they can use to help them land that first big job.

It is a competitive world out there, and at this point, our students are falling behind those of other countries. It is up to us to provide young people the skills necessary to succeed in the world. Are we going to fail them? I hope not, their futures depend on us doing the right thing today.